Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Poet Andrew Kei Miller speaks at the launch of his book Kingdom of Empty Bellies at the Philip Sherlock Centre, U.W.I. Mona, on Sunday. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THERE WAS a quiet coming out party on Sunday morning. While most of Jamaica was probably busy either at church or watching football (both of which often involve much time calling on God) a small gathering ushered the Kingdom of Empty Bellies, the first anthology by Andrew Kei Miller into life.
Kingdom of Empty Bellies is published by Heaven Tree Press and the launch took place at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts (PSCCA), University of the West Indies, Mona. In her welcome, Carolyn Allen, coordinator for the PSCCA thanked those who had sacrificed seeing the game to make it to the launch.
Michael Bucknor, lecturer in the Department of Literatures in English played host for the morning. He described Miller as "one of Jamaica's strongest poetic voices of the day" and noted that the launch was part fulfilment of Miller's promise. Bucknor then turned the morning over to the main speaker, Professor Mervyn Morris.
ALREADY LAUNCHED
Morris pointed out that the book had technically been launched already as indicated by the effusive pre-publication praise it had received from Olive Senior, David Dabydeen, and Lorna Goodison.
"I've been introduced to the author Kei Miller. I knew him as Andrew, an English major who did well in some courses and failed to complete others," Morris told the amused audience. Miller would later explain, prompted by a question from Professor Carolyn Cooper, that he had unveiled the name Kei in an attempt to stop being confused with a "40 year-old, white, Irishman" who had already made the name Andrew Miller famous in Britain.
Morris described Kingdom of Empty Bellies as a "well-crafted collection" with "shifting perspectives on faith". Though this is Miller's first collection, he has already reaped several awards including the Vera Rubin Residency Fellowship (2006) and the 2006 Bridget Jones Fellowship (Caribbean Studies Conference. London). Additionally, his first collection of short fiction, The Fear of Stones and Other Stories, is forthcoming from Macmillan Caribbean.
Miller delivered a steaming helping of the poetry from the collection. "I must tell you it's such a pleasure coming up here with an actual book," Miller said. He read several of the pieces from the Church Woman Series delivering 'Uphill', 'Church Woman Communion', 'Church Woman Testimony'.
SOUL-TWISTING HEARTBREAK
Miller also read a few pieces from the Rum Bar Stories series and from elsewhere he delivered Noctiphobia, 'In A Line Behind Baugh', and 'This Is An Apology'. The poems wafted between humour and soul-twisting heartbreak written with a fantastic grasp of the poetic craft.
From the praise received and the poetry delivered, it was clear that one of the heirs to the Caribbean literary tradition had been officially introduced and Morris urged the audience to listen to his prophecy. He told of a Kingdom of Empty Bellies, but his poetry leaves one filled.
